Show All Answers

1. What does the Phase III Expansion project entail?

The project involves the new construction of 85,000 square feet for additional Courts space on the existing Church Street Parking Lot, renovation of the existing Courts buildings (excluding the Historic Courthouse), and parking improvements, including a structured parking garage at the Pennington Lot. A complete description is available in the Fiscal Year 2014 Adopted Capital Improvement Plan here .

2. How long is the project going to take to design and construct?

The new building and parking will take approximately two years to design and at least two years to build. The renovation of the existing Courts buildings will continue beyond that timeline and that schedule will be determined when the extent of renovation is developed in the design phase.

3. Why is an additional Courts building needed?

For more than ten years, Loudoun County has engaged court planning experts to assess the need for additional space based on the continued growth in court caseload and general population in the county. These assessments have provided long-term planning outlooks. The Phase II Expansion of the Courts Complex was completed in 2005 with the completion of the Law Library. In 2008, the county opened two additional courtrooms that were “shelled” during Phase II as a new judgeship and increased caseload required additional space in the building.

The Phase III project has been planned based on projections from an updated Facility Plan and Assessment prepared by Wisnewski Blair & Associates (now HGA) in 2011 that focused on the anticipated growth in court activity in 2015, 2020 and 2025. The Phase III project is planned to achieve the space needs for the Courts for the 2015 projections. A future Phase IV project is planned for the projected 2025 space needs.

4. What is the project's specific location?

The Phase III Expansion of the Courts will be located on the existing Church Street Parking Lot at the corner of Church Street and Edwards Ferry Road. In 2012, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors considered other sites for the future growth needs of the Courts; however, the Board confirmed the project’s original location in downtown Leesburg.

5. Is there a Phase IV Courts Expansion project? When will it occur?

Based on the 2011 Facility Assessment, a Phase IV project will be required to accommodate projected growth for 2025. This may change as a result of the programming and design phases of the Phase III project as new, more current, caseload information is reviewed. The Phase IV Expansion is planned to be new construction that will be built as an addition to the Phase III project site. During the design phase of the Phase III project, this future expansion will be considered and the site development planning will be incorporated to accommodate this expansion. The current estimate for Phase IV is an additional 35,000 square feet.

6. Will traffic or parking be impacted during construction?

Yes, there will be points during construction where traffic along adjacent streets and Courts parking will be impacted. When these impacts are known and scheduled, information will be posted at www.loudoun.gov/courts-expansion and made available to the community and staff in advance.

7. Will there be opportunities for public input during the design of the Phase III project?

The county will hold public presentations/input sessions during the early phases of design to garner feedback. Those presentations will be announced and posted on www.loudoun.gov/courts-expansion. Additionally, there will be public hearings associated with the land use applications required for this project by the Town of Leesburg.